We Put It All Together… In Seconds.

We Put It All Together… In Seconds.
Maximize productivity levels and
dramatically increase throughput with
Ball Lock™.
Looking to realize the full benefits of lean manufacturing? Then
you need the one system that puts it all together, so you can put
it all together…and that’s Ball Lock™.
Ball Lock™ is the industry’s most popular quick-change, fixturingflexible mounting system that can be configured to create leanoptimized solutions for your most demanding needs.
The Ball Lock™ Mounting System is used as
a Quick Change Solution on the following:
• CNC Machines
• Palletized Fixtures
• Stamping
• Fabricating
• Injection Molding
• Packaging Machines
• Assembly Machines
• EDM
• Robotics
• Welding Fixtures
1.2
Lean Manufacturing and Set Up Reduction Applications
Accurately Locate and Lock Fixture Plates to Subplates in Seconds…
With No Indicating Required.
Machining Cast Part
Previous Set Up Method:
Located part with dowel pins, bolted part to tombstone fixture. Indicated part to zero datum point.
Previous Set-Up Time:
15 minutes
Set Up Using Ball Lock System:
Mount parts to fixture plate while machining other
parts. Mount fixture plate to tombstone using Ball
Lock shanks. No indicating required because
system provides +0.0005 (±0.013mm)repeatability.
Set Up Time With Ball Lock System:
60 seconds
CNC Machine Base:
Drilling and reaming forged part.
Previous Set Up Method:
Fixture plate located with dowel pins bolted to
machine base. Fixture plate and parts indicated.
Set Up Using Ball Lock System:
Parts are pre-mounted on fixture plate, which is
then mounted to machine base using Ball Lock
shanks. No need to indicate.
Previous Set Up Time:
7 minutes
Set Up Time with Ball Lock System:
60 seconds
CNC Vertical Machining Center
Machining aircraft valve parts
Previous Set Up Method:New Project. New
Machine.No Prior History.
Set Up Using Ball Lock System:Using Ball
Lock Jig Saw Plate on Multi-Purpose Subplate
enables operator to mount two more vises on
the fixture. No indicating needed.
Previous Set Up Time:
New Set Up.
Set Up Time With Ball Lock System:
80 seconds setting up six vises.
Two-Sided Tombstone
Drilling and tapping cylindrical bodies.
Previous Set Up Method:
Fixture located and bolted to tombstone. Had to
be indicated.
Set Up Using Ball Lock System:
Fixture plate mounted and located with Ball Lock
shanks. No need to indicate.
Previous Set Up Time:
12 minutes
Set Up Time with Ball Lock System:
45 seconds
1.3
Locates
The Ball Lock™ System accurately positions
your fixtureplate with a repeatability of
±0.0005" (±0.013mm) or better, minimizing
the need to indicate your fixture.
Locks
The Ball Lock System securely holds fixture
plates to subplates with up to 20,000 lbs.
(9000 kg) of hold-down force per shank.
The Ball Lock Mounting System is designed
to speed the accurate locating and locking
of fixture plates to subplates. The system
consists of three parts: a Locating Shank,
a Liner Bushing, and a Receiver Bushing.
Using the Ball Lock Mounting System is
a simple process: Install a subplate with
receiver bushings on your machine table;
add your fixture plate with two locating liner
bushings; then insert two locating shanks
through the liners and into the receiver
bushings to provide accurate location.
21/2 turns of the set screw in each of the
locating shanks provides positive holding
force. Additional Ball Lock™ Shanks are
inserted through clearance holes in the
fixture plate and set screws tightened for
additional holding force distributed across
the fixture plate.
It is recommended that the use
of the Ball Lock Mounting System for
locating and clamping of fixture plates
be incorporated in a systematic
process. All fixture plates should
have two locating points positioned
as far apart as possible. There is no
advantage to having more than two
The Ball Lock™ Mounting System
provides a method of quickly and
accurately locating fixtures onto
machine tables. The Ball Lock™
Mounting System has done for
machining centers what the Japanese
SMED concept did for presses.
Instead of single minute exchange
of dies, Ball Lock™ provides single
minute exchange of fixtures. Fixtures
can often be exchanged in less than a
minute and with position repeatability
of ±0.0005” (±0.013mm). Fixtures
can be exchanged between different
machines when both are using the
Jergens Ball Lock™ Mounting System.
Commonly Asked Questions
Q. How does it lock?
A. Inside the shank are three balls that
expand into a tapered groove in the
receiver bushing. This action draws
the plates together. The locking balls
are activated by turning a setscrew in
the head of the shank, which pushes
a 4th ball to distribute the clamping
forces between the 3 locking balls.
Q. What is the Ball Lock™
Mounting System?
A. It is a means of locating and locking
two flat surfaces together, normally a
fixture plate and a sub-plate.
Q. How does it locate?
A. Similar to locating pins, two Ball
Lock™ shanks (pins) pass through two
precision liner bushings on the fixture
plate and into two precision receiver
bushings on the subplate.
Q. How many shanks are required
to locate and lock each fixture?
A. Only two shanks, passing through
bushings in the fixture plates, are
required for location. However,
additional shanks passing through
clearance holes in the fixture plate
will provide additional holding force
distributed across the plate.
1.4
Ball Lock
Shank
Liner Bushing
Ball Lock
Shank
Liner Bushing
Fixture Plate
Fixture Plate
Socket Head Cap
Screws (3)
Slip Fit Hole
Press Fit Hole
Machine
Table or
Subplate
Face Mount
Bushing
Mounting Method With
Face Mount Bushing
Drilled Hole
Subplate
Counter-Bored
Hole
Back Mount Bushing
Mounting Method With
Back Mount Bushing
locating points. If more than two flanged
shanks are required to provide additional
hold- down force, omit liner bushings in
the additional holes in the fixture plate and
allow 0.030" (0.76mm) over the nominal
size. The additional clearance will insure
that these holes have no influence on the
locating holes.
How accurate should positioning be?
The center distance of the receiver bushings
in the machine table, tombstone, or subplate
should be as accurate as possible ±0.0002"
(±0.005mm) recommended. Accurate
location will assure interchangeability of
numerous fixture plates. For accurate
repeatability within ±0.0005" (±0.013mm)
of true position, both liner bushings in the
fixture plate should be primary liners and
the center distance tolerance should
be ±0.0002" (±0.005mm). For a slightly
looser fit, repeatability within 0.0015"
(0.04mm) of true position, use one
primary and one secondary liner with
a center distance tolerance of ±0.001"
(±0.003mm).
Q. Is there a preferable location for
the liner bushing?
A. System repeatability is improved
if the liners are located at opposite
corners of a rectangular fixture plate.
For consistency, we recommend
locating the liner bushings at top left
and bottom right.
(18mm) of thread engagement require
10 turns to lock. On CNC machines,
the repeatability of fixture locations
makes indicating of the fixture
unnecessary.
Q. What if my plate is thinner than
the recommended thickness?
A. By adjusting the depth of the
counterbore for the receiver bushing
in the subplate, you can still use the
Ball Lock™ System. If there are any
questions on this type of application,
please call 1-800-JERGENS.
Q. What are the advantages of
using the Ball Lock™ System over
the conventional method of dowel
pins and cap screws?
A. Both locating and locking are
accomplished in the same motion. Ball
lock™ shanks require only 2.5 turns
to lock a 1/2–13 (M12) screw with ¾"
Q. How do I recess the fixtureplate
for a clear surface ?
A. Counterbore the fixture plate to a
diameter large enough to allow easy
removal of the shank.
Note: The thickness of the plate section
under the head of the shank is critical and
must conform to mounting instructions .
Q. Can I use the shanks in a heated
environment?
A. The shank is made of alloy steel,
heat treated to 40-45Rc and should
with stand temperatures up to 400°F.
(200°C).
Note: Thermal expansion of fixture plates
may affect the center distance tolerance
and repeatability.
1.5